Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1887-12-07
aHlisfellaueuns &eaaing.
THREE PUpIL-DILATING POISONS.

There is a peculiar group VI Poioou9
whose action is to dilate the pupils lnsteau
of contracting them, like opium, to arrest
the secretions of the skin, to stimulate the
brain, causing delirium, and paraiyze tne
ends of the nerves of motion to stlmu-
late the spinal cord and then paralyze it;
to increase the action of the heart and then
bring it to a stand-still. These drugs are
belladonna (the deadly night shade), n.y.
oscyamus, (henbane), and stramonlum
crimson weed". o. thorn-apple). THESE
ali act alike, but vary in strength; the
order in which they have been named
being that of their destructive qualities:
They allay pain, but not to the same extent
as opium, and induce sleep to some degree;
The symptoms produced are alike, n
are as follows, when given in poisonous
doses: Heat and dryness of the mouth
and throat, nausea, vomiting, dizziness,
indistinct or double vision, delirium, great
excitement, commissions followed by stu
O and Inconsistencies. The pupils ofthe
ewes are dilated to their utmost, n light
does not affect them. The face is redden-
ed with eruption similar to that OF scarlet
fever: the eyes are fixed and brilliant;
the gait is lettering; and the dellrlum IS
such as to cause silly talk and frequent
bursts of careless laughter. The berries,
root and leaves of belladona have each
caused fatal poisoning. The active prln,
ciple, atropine, is an extremely poWerlul
drug, producing the same ehects Wnen
taken in very minute doses. P0lsonlhg
may result from applying a ellaoonn
plaster to the skin, especially II tne SUI,
face is broken. Most cases of ~belladonna
poisoning result from mistakes IN pre-
scribing or administering remedies. It's
use by criminals is rare.
Stramonium, or "jimson weed" is such
a common plant and accessible TO every
one that poisoning from the careless sWal-
lowing of Its seeds is not at all comm
Scarcely a veal passes but some child dies
from this cause. The authorities are GER
tainly responsible for such accidents, as IL
would be an EASY matter to cause every
plant of the kind to be destroyed before
the seeds have matured. In India a SINH
lar plant is often made use of by the Thugs
to render their victims helpless. The
SYMPTOMS are the same as those OF BELLA
donna poisoning. 1t is likely that some
of the 'idrugging" employed by the pro-
fessional thieves in this country is done
with preparations of stramonium SEEDS.
Henbane (hyoscyamus) is poisonous IN
every part. Leaves, roots and SEEDS pro-
duce effects like those observed after pols-
oning by %belladonna, but the dose re-
uuired to produce such results is much
larger. Twenty of the seeds have been
known to produce poisoning, n the
same may be said of the ',jimson weed"
The treatment of poisoning by any OF
these three plants is to remove allthat may
remain in the stomach by the most prompt
and effective emetics; in case these do not
act, the stomach tube must be brought
into use. Then give castor oil to remove
any of the poisonous materials that may
have passed beyond the stomach. AS
there is no trustworthy chemical antidote,
morphine may be given cautiously on
account of its action being opposed in most
particulars to that of these poisons: Coffee
and alcohol should be given if the heart
becomes very weak, as shown by the pulse.
Animal charcoal and tanin have been
given, although there does not appear to
be any very good reasons for administer
ing them.